A Tangled Love Story
by sktofu
Summary: It's been two years since the end of the Last Olympian and Percy and Annabeth have been going out ever since. But suddenly things change in an unexpected way and many demigods are torn between two choices: true love or everlasting friendship?
1. Chapter 1

1: I fall in love with the wrong person

I never knew that this would happen. If I did then I would have never went out with Annabeth and accepted her love for me. Already two summers had passed since Luke's death and I no longer felt the same way about her as I did then. However, my conscious forbade me from doing anything that would cause her pain although breaking up was inevitable. It was beyond cruel to not end our relationship when I wanted nothing more than friendship. I couldn't pretend anymore. Not when I was so in love with someone else.

I suddenly remembered Aphrodite's brief visit from years ago and groaned as her words rang in my mind. She had promised to make my love life a tangled mess just because she had taken a liking in me. How very _kind_ of her.

Feeling bitter, I crossed my empty room to a glowing fountain in a corner. I had received it as a present from Tyson, my half-brother, for my seventeenth birthday last year to replace my old one. The craftsmanship was praiseworthy and the little fish carvings looked as if they were about to move. I sighed, realizing how much I missed him. I hoped he would be able to visit soon.

I placed a hand in my pocket and fished out a golden drachma which I flicked up into the air. The coin disappeared before it hit the water.

"Show me my mom in New York City," I said in a clear voice. The mist shimmered and took the form of my mom's living room. She was sitting on the couch, a skinny black notebook on her lap.

My grin was huge as I cried, "Mom!"

She looked up from her laptop and returned a smile. "Percy!" she exclaimed. "How are you?"

"I'm great. You?"

"I'm fine as always. Paul's out buying books. I was just finishing up the latest chapter of my novel," she informed me. Admittedly, she was a very good writer and I was really happy that she was doing something that she enjoyed.

"So, what's up?" she asked me. I hesitated in thought before responding.

"Um, Mom, I need some advice."

She grinned and I could tell that she was very interested in what I had to say. "Okay, shoot."

"What would you do if…" I started and searched for an easy way to explain my situation. "What if you were going out with Paul and—" she raised an eyebrow "—you suddenly found out that you were in love with his best friend, Fred or whatever his name is—"

"It's George, Percy," she corrected.

"Okay, George," I quickly said. "So what if you found out that you just wanted to be friends with Paul because you were in love with George? What would you do?"

She looked at me curiously then shook her head, understanding. "This is about Annabeth, isn't it?"

I nodded slowly.

"Oh, Percy," she said, suppressing a smile at my worried expression, "you're only eighteen. Did you really think you were going to marry her?"

I was stung by her comment.

"I mean she's a very lovely girl," she continued, "but what I'm trying to say is that at your age, most relationships tend to only last a few months, maybe even a year or two like in your case. Some _do_ end up getting married but we're talking about a very, _very_ small percentage of the teenage population.

"I'm sure she'll understand, honey," she comforted. "It'll be hard for both of you at first but eventually you'll both move on. Time will heal."

"You really think so?" I questioned, doubtful.

She nodded, giving me an encouraging smile. "She'll at least appreciate your honesty."

I was almost convinced now. "What if Paul was in love with Jessica?" Jessica was like the sister Mom never had. They had always been together since high school until Jess got married and Mom met my dad.

She seemed to think about it for a moment and then winced. My heart dropped.

"Never mind," I murmured in a defeated tone. How was I ever going to tell Annabeth?

Someone rang the doorbell on my mom's side. "Oh, I think Paul's back."

"Yeah I gotta go. I think Annabeth's at the door," I lied lightly. I didn't want to feel like an intruder when my mom was spending time with my stepdad.

She winked at me. "Okay, honey. Good luck and take care of yourself."

The connection ended and I was alone again. My cabin was one of the quietest; the other cabins were packed since all the gods and goddesses were busy keeping their promise to claim their kids. Zeus and Hades were probably the busiest people in the world based on how crowded their cabins were. My dad, Poseidon, was occupied with rebuilding his enormous underwater palaces at the moment but I knew it would only be a matter of time until this cabin became as packed as the others. The only other cabins that were emptier than mine were of course Hera's and Artemis's which brought me thoughts of her…

My mind became cloudy as I imagined her and her perfect features. She was so beautiful, so lovely. I smiled at the thought of her silky black hair, her deep blue eyes that reflected the clearest skies, and her tough personality that could send any grown man crying home. I liked the fact that she was so rough, so brave, and so similar to me. Even Annabeth had once commented on how alike we were. Her face was of an angel's even with her skull earrings and her lightening spear that could shock anyone silly.

I was in love with Thalia, daughter of Zeus.

But that love was impossible for so many different reasons. First off, she was one of Annabeth's closest friends and being the kind girl she was, she would never ever do anything that would hurt her. Secondly, she was a _huntress_ meaning that she could never date a guy. We could never be, fate would never allow it.

And besides, she couldn't possibly like me. But a guy could always hope.

My lie to my mom turned to reality when my thoughts were interrupted by an impatient knock on the door.

"Seaweed brain!" someone called. A wave of guilt inundated me.

I opened the door and in a flash, Annabeth threw herself in my arms. "I missed you, dummy!" she cried and pecked me on the cheek. I caught myself stroking her soft blond hair out of habit and sighed.

"Annabeth," I said her name and pain shot through me. Could I really bring myself to hurt her?

She gave me a huge grin and hugged me tightly. I grimaced. Gently, I pushed her away and held her by the elbows.

"I need to talk to you," I whispered. I couldn't bring myself to look at her in the eyes.

"Um, okay," she agreed, her voice confused and uncertain.

With a heart that weighed heavier than lead, I took her by the hand and slowly led her to a quiet place by the ocean where I would break her heart into tiny fragments.

**Okay that was the first chapter of my first Percy Jackson fanfic! Hope you enjoyed. Tell me what you thought and if any corrections needed. Review please :) It helps a lot.**


	2. Chapter 2

2: I agree to go on an unexpected mission

Time seemed to slow as we walked down the path to the shore. We had frequently taken this shortcut before but we had crossed the strawberry fields and the green hills laughing, our hands tightly meshed together. This time it was completely different and we both could feel it. Not once did I dare to look at Annabeth in fear for changing my mind. I had to do this and I wasn't going to chicken out now. My mind filled with plans that would make this process as painless for her as possible. Neither of us spoke until we reached the quiet ocean.

Knowing the time was soon, I let my hand touching hers fall by my side. My eyes met her pretty gray ones and I briefly remembered the time I had dreamed of those eyes every night. They had made my dreams so much sweeter and warmer. Recently however, the gray had morphed into clear electric blue.

She spoke first, "Percy, what's wrong?" Her voice was layered with worry and I felt the strong urge to embrace her, not as her lover but as her best friend. But would that friendship I truly wanted be possible? Or would she turn away from me and never talk to me again?

I swallowed before answering, "I-I'm doing something very wrong." Instead of saying the cliché farewells, I began to pour out honest words from my heart. "Something is very wrong with me and I'm afraid it's going to hurt you."

It was obvious that she knew where this was heading. Her face was downcast as she remained silent for me to continue.

"I just want to apologize," I said. I had no idea how to do this and my heart seemed to constrict as tears welled up in her eyes. I searched for the right words to say but my mind came up blank.

"Percy," she said after a few moments, looking up at me as she forced a smile, "I love you."

I found it difficult to swallow. "I love you, too, Annabeth."

She shook her head, her golden locks swinging back and forth. "Not the same way I love you."

Unable to look at her, I turned towards the ocean. The sea seemed so empty and lonely today. I could hear her crying softly now and felt devastated at the fact that I was the reason for her sadness.

"Annabeth…" Did I even have a right to say her name anymore?

Quickly, she wiped her face dry, put her hands on my face and positioned me so that she was only inches away. Before I knew it, her soft lips were pressed onto mine. I tried to object but her grip on me was strong, like she was holding onto something precious. Besides, right now, I was willing to give up anything for her.

When she finally pulled away, there were wet lines on her face. She grinned rather sadly before turning away. I thought she would walk back to camp but she held her spot on the sand.

"I'll always be yours, Percy."

I stood frozen at her whispered words as she ran swiftly out of sight. My mind spun as my eyes fixed its gaze on her footprints imprinted in the sand. How could she say that to someone who had just broken her heart? Did she really love me that much?

Annabeth meant so much to me. It was the mere memory of her that had saved me from dying in the River Styx. Her very existence had helped me defeat Kronos and his allies. It was her wisdom that had saved me innumerous times. How strong were Cupid's arrows that my passionate love for her had evaporated in so short a time?

I remembered her crying at my words and felt as if someone was strangling me. _Perhaps I should go back to her_, I thought desperately. _I would beg on my knees until she took me back. I would never make her cry again._

My feet began to move by themselves, carrying me to her. Half my heart reached out to get back with her as if nothing had happened today. However, the other half knew that this longing was out of nothing more than friendship because someone else had dethroned Annabeth from her special place in my heart.

Thalia… I felt lightheaded just by the thoughts of her. I knew _that_ love was much more than friendly feelings. What the _heck_ was I supposed to do?

Was this the beautiful goddess's idea of fun? If she was watching me right now, I hoped she was enjoying the show. The goddess of love probably liked nothing better than a stupid, love struck teenage boy withering in pain.

Suddenly, a low voice interrupted my acrimonious thoughts.

"How dare you…" I stopped in my tracks, wondering if I was hearing things now. A dark shadow darted by and a dark boy stood glowering at me.

Well, he wasn't so much of a boy anymore. During the past two years, he had shot up in height and all the training had hardened his muscles. He wore nothing but black which well suited him and his father.

"Nico," I said in surprise. Had he heard my conversation with Annabeth?

He drew nearer to me and I realized that my head was only a bit higher than his. Still I was the one looking down on him which made me feel a bit smug. He glared at me with so much hatred that left me confused.

"I heard everything," he said unabashed. I sighed, knowing this wasn't going to be pleasant. Nico shoved me hard and I fell back, almost losing my balance.

"Hey!" I protested, resisting the urge to push him back. I didn't need to lose two friends today.

I was baffled to see him shaking with rage. What was wrong with this kid? I had never thought that he and Annabeth had been close. "How _dare_ you, Percy Jackson. You hurt her like that and you thought you were gonna get off easy?" he shouted in my face.

Whoa, why was he getting so defensive? It wasn't like he liked Annabeth or anything.

"Y-you're just evil! I knew I shouldn't have trusted you with her, after what happened to Bianca…" he spat. His words were worse than a hard slap on the face.

Okay, I was getting mad now. He was bringing up the past that we both had tried so hard to forget. He wasn't fighting fair.

"Nico, what is your _problem_? I know I did wrong to her but why the heck are _you_ getting so mad for?" I cried indignantly. He stiffened and clenched his fists.

"You. Made. Annabeth. Cry." His teeth were rattling and his expression looked like he wanted to kill me. The situation made absolutely no sense to me. Nico's reactions would have been more understandable if he was Annabeth's brother or her best friend or someone who…

"…likes Annabeth," I finished the thought out loud and the son of Hades flinched, my words completely knocking him off guard. My eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Nico, you like Annabeth, don't you?"

He seemed to be in shock. "Is it… obvious?" he asked warily then demanded, "You better not tell this to anyone, Percy!"

This day was taking a bizarre turn of events. Nico and Annabeth? I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. Not that it was funny but it was just extremely… awkward.

But at least he wouldn't hurt her like I did. I sighed and Nico shot me a curious glance.

"Do you like her a lot?" I questioned him, taking the role of an overprotective guardian. Nico blushed and nodded once.

"She's just wonderful. So ingenious, too," he commented dreamily. I sighed again, remembering the time I had felt that way about her.

Suddenly, Nico grabbed my arms almost painfully hard. His face lit up like a child on Christmas morning. "That's it, Percy! You can talk to her for me!"

I blinked. "Wait a minute. I thought you heard our conversation, Nico. It's going to be hard to even talk to her from now on," I said, shaking my head hopelessly.

"C'mon, Percy. You know she'll still be your friend. I don't think Annabeth will ditch you like that. She really likes you," he admitted reluctantly, making me feel guilty all over again. "You can help me out. I can make her happy. And I promise _I_ won't hurt her."

Ouch. This kid was blunt. But still, he had a point. I owed Annabeth big time and if he thought he could bring her happiness, maybe I _should_ help him out. After all, Nico wasn't a bad guy.

"Alright," I agreed slowly, regretting it the moment I said it. "I'll _try_ to help. But this doesn't guarantee anything."

"Yes!" he yelled gleefully as if Annabeth had agreed to date him already. "You're the best!"

He didn't seem like the same person who was about to kill me only seconds ago. Now he looked at me as if I were a saint or something. Either he was bipolar or really, _really_ in love with Annabeth.

As Nico stood next to me jumping up and down, devising plans that would subtly get Annabeth interested in him, I turned back to face the water. As I watched the waves roll in and out, I wondered if I had made the right choice.

**That's it for the second chapter. I hope it was okay :) Thank you for the reviews and please continue to do so! Also, feel free to point out any mistakes or suggest any plots or pairings!**


	3. Chapter 3

3: I have a talk with the goddess of love

"Go, Percy, go!"

I didn't know if I was more nervous or annoyed. Nervous because this would be the first time I was going to talk to Annabeth after our break up and annoyed because of Nico's constant and unnecessary encouragement.

"C'mon, Percy! Just go with the plan. You got this!" he cried, bothering me to no end. The only reason why I didn't tell him off was because I knew he was rambling out of extreme edginess. The plan was to chat with Annabeth as naturally as possible during dinner and slowly bring Nico into the conversation so he got a chance to talk to her. It was rather a stupid plan but we couldn't think of anything else.

_I got this_, I told myself as I walked up to her. Her blond hair was exceptionally beautiful tonight. The way it reflected the light of the setting sun was gorgeous… Whoa, didn't I get over her? I halted. Wasn't I in love with Thalia?

Categorizing these thoughts as "friendly" and not as anything more, I continued on to the Athena table where she was sitting with her half-siblings. Nico gave me the thumbs up and a wide grin when I looked back for the last time.

"Hey, Annabeth," I called as quietly as possible so that others wouldn't hear, "you want to sit with me for dinner? I-I mean only if you w-want to…" I could've hit myself for stuttering like an idiot in front of her.

She turned to face me, looking startled. "Really? You're asking me?"

I wondered if I did something wrong. Maybe there was a rule saying that if a couple broke up, they couldn't eat with each other? "Only if you want to…" I murmured again.

Her sudden smile was dazzling and almost made my knees buckle from underneath me. Whoa, again. What was wrong with me? Why was my heart beating so fast all of a sudden? "Sure!" she accepted my request quite enthusiastically. My stomach did a little back flip as I cracked a wide smile.

Everyone was used to seeing us sitting together at meal times so nobody gave us any notice. After we got our food and offered a portion of it into the fire, we began to eat, with a little awkward space inbetween us that we were unaccustomed to. I tried my best to swallow down my food as my eyes goggled her eating so gracefully. I sat there hypnotized by the movement of her lips until I realized she was staring right back at me.

"Percy? Are you alright?" she asked, concerned about my sanity. I actually wasn't sure but I nodded anyway. Obviously awkward, she muttered, "You know you don't have to act nice to me just because we broke up… I mean this is nice of you but you don't have to ask me to eat with you out of pity. That hurts my pride." Her gray eyes stared intently into mine. I stared mesmerized.

"Percy? Are you listening?"

I shook my head to force myself to think straight. Annabeth frowned.

"I mean, yes, I was listening." I felt dazed and my vision became blurred. Suddenly, the temperature seemed to have gone up by a hundred degrees. "Sorry, Annabeth. I'm feeling a bit _sick_," I explained myself, not knowing if that was the right word for how I felt. More like _weird_.

Her eyebrows came together and her eyes got all big with worry. Gosh, she was cute. "Are you okay? Percy, you're sweating like crazy!" she exclaimed. She began wiping my forehead with her napkin but I couldn't concentrate on anything. The smell of hamburgers and pizza transformed into a lovely combination of roses, lilies, daisies, and other tantalizing aromas I couldn't name.

"Hey, loser," a familiar mean voice said from behind me. I turned and gasped.

It was my old enemy Clarisse, daughter of Ares, my least favorite cousin. After we had fought side-by-side two years ago, she had gone back to her nasty self, although admittedly, she had changed a lot. She was nicer and friendlier. But she hadn't lost of the habit of provoking me every chance she got.

It was definitely the same Clarisse I knew standing there, next to her boyfriend, Chris Rodriguez who greeted me with a nod. But the way I saw her was completely different. I had never thought of her as pretty but that was an understatement now. She was stunning, even her evil eyes sparkling like gems. There seemed to be a glow around her as if she was a goddess.

My body seemed to move on its own accord. I knew what I was about to do but I couldn't stop myself.

I walked right up to her and kissed her on the mouth.

"What the HECK!" she screamed, pushing me so hard that I fell to the floor. I was dazed, uncertain of what I had just done and why. Chris looked like he was somewhere in between extreme anger and confusion and Annabeth had her mouth hanging open. A lot of the campers had turned toward our direction, some gasping and others laughing.

"FREAK! YOU IDIOT!" Clarisse continued to yell, pointing at me. My stomach turned and I felt as though I was going to puke any second.

Today was turning out to be a very strange day. And yet the strangest was yet to happen.

An ear-piercing shriek sounded throughout the camp. Clarisse stopped throwing insults at me.

"Eros, you stupid fool! I told you to hit him when he saw Hephaestus's daughter! That's the second time you've missed!"

We all turned towards a large, quivering bush. It took a moment for me to recognize the voice.

"Aphrodite?"

"Oh, now look what you've done," the voice said, annoyed. A beautiful young woman appeared out of the bush with a small boy holding a bow and a quiver of arrows trailing her.

"Hello, Percy Jackson," the goddess of love greeted me with a smile that could melt any man's heart. "I've missed you so much!"

"Er, hi…?" I answered uncertainly. She just continued to smile at me. I found it very hard to think straight when such a beautiful face was staring at me.

Annabeth stood up and raised her voice, "Why are you here? What have you done to Percy?"

Aphrodite's smiling face turned to her. "I'm here to plant love in this lifeless camp!"

"I _said_, _WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH PERCY_!" Annabeth demanded furiously. This was the first time I had seen her so angry, especially at an immortal being. The goddess's smile wavered.

"I just wanted some love," she said simply. "Make the prince of the sea fall in love with the ugliest girl! Ah, how romantic!"

I wondered if she had lost her sanity. It took a long time for my brain to register that _I_ was "the prince of the sea" she had mentioned. When had I ever been a prince?

"You pig! You dare steal my boyfriend from me?!"

Everyone stared at Annabeth in surprise. Aphrodite's eyes narrowed and the pleasantness was wiped off her face.

"You dare call me a _pig_, half-blood?" Her voice sounded extremely dangerous. "_Me_, the most beautiful creation, a _PIG_?!?"

"That's right," Annabeth shot back, grey flames in her eyes. I cringed from the heat radiating from the two women. There was excitement in the atmosphere, sensing that a fight could occur between a demigod and a goddess. I could see some standing on tables, trying to get a better view.

I wanted to tell them to stop. I didn't want Annabeth to get hurt.

But before I could get any words out, I hurled, throwing up whatever was in my stomach.

**And that's it for chapter 3 :) I know this one was really bad. I tried to write it in bed when I was sick and maybe the illness affected my brain -_- Well, yeah, I have no idea where the story's going now. So, Percy's been hit with Cupid's arrows a few times and something's definitely wrong with him but the question is: does he _really_ like Annabeth or Thalia? (Don't worry, it's not Clarisse but then that would be interesting... lol) I hope it wasn't _too_ bad. There's probably lots of mistakes, too, so feel free to point them out! And please please review, it's really encouraging! (Many thanks to those who have already reviewed and please continue to!) Also, I'm desperate for story ideas :) Thanks, I'll try to update soon~**


	4. Chapter 4

4: Rachel goes all green on me

"EW!" the goddess screamed as she jumped away from me and my puddle of barf. She moaned at the sight of her shiny pink shoes sullied with bits of undigested hamburger. "Gross!"

I rubbed my stomach and knew more was coming. The whole camp seemed to groan in unison as I threw up a second time.

"Are you alright?"

It was Annabeth, sitting beside me out of loyalty. She gave me a look of concern and touched my arm. I expected my heart to start fluttering madly again and my face to redden like a ripe tomato.

But nothing happened.

She saw my confused expression and asked, "Is something the matter, Percy?"

"I-I…" I tried to explain but I didn't quite understand myself. Something was definitely different. I knew something had completely changed, like a very important item was missing.

I whirled around and found Clarisse. She was no longer glaring at me but looking at her expression, she was still clearly shocked. I waited for my heart to explode.

Seconds ticked by but I still felt nothing.

I now realized that the enchanting aroma had evaporated. My head spun and my insides felt empty and cold.

What was happening to me?

Annabeth stiffened beside me and the camp grew loud with multiple whispered conversations. At first, I thought they were talking about me and my puking but then I saw a familiar redhead making her way to me.

"Hey, Rachel," I said. She smiled at me. There had always been something between us, some strange bond I could not put my finger on.

"Hi, Percy." Her voice sounded rather tired and I realized how late it had become. The sky was a calm midnight blue and thousands of stars shone brightly like scattered specks of diamonds. "I…I felt like I had to come see you."

I swallowed and nodded slowly. I knew what that meant. Everyone did. Even the goddess and her son seemed to tense, waiting silently for what was coming.

Then Rachel started to shake.

It was always unnerving to watch. Her small frame trembled as if she was possessed and her eyes opened wide with a mysterious green glow. A dense mist filled the air, making it hard to breathe.

Then the prophecy came.

"_A hero's sword shall betray a friend_," Rachel began in her creepy, echoing voice. Wow, the first line already foretold a depressing fate. That had to be a record.

Her eyes seemed to become a darker shade of green as she continued, "_To save what is most precious in the end_."

Most precious? What was so precious that I had to betray a friend for it?

"_Through bloody hills, shall journey five, but only three shall return alive_."

Okay, I should have just stopped listening then. This was obviously going to be a suicide mission. Usually one death was enough for a quest but the last time I checked, five minus three was _two_.

However, there was still more to come. The whole camp held its breath as Rachel finished.

"_A heart must choose the one before he can love nevermore_."

It was completely silent. Although I felt like I was going to collapse myself, I managed to catch Rachel before she crumpled to the ground. She seemed to lose consciousness but then her eyelids fluttered open.

"Is it bad, Percy?" she said in a weak voice, not remembering a word of what she'd just spoken. Knowing it was impossible to speak, I gave her a grave nod. She sighed and fainted.

I quietly carried her limp body into the main building, passing those staring at me with their mouths open. Nobody chased after me, not even Annabeth. Not knowing if I was in shock or scared out of my wits, I entered, closing the door behind me, and placed Rachel gently down on a sofa.

Hundreds of thoughts crossed my mind but I knew I didn't have time to sort them all out before setting out on my first quest in two years.

**'Kay and that's it for the fourth chapter! Sorry this one was so short but I wanted to give you guys something 'cause it's been a while :) So what d'you think about the prophecy? I know it's not very well thought out but I'll clarify in future chapters and hopefully a nice quest will be built on top of it :) Please review, review, review, they help lots! (and many thanks to those who did in the past! ^^) So next chapter begins the epic quest of Percy Jackson! Will Percy be able to love ever again?**


	5. Chapter 5

5: I have yet another fantastic dream

"Percy Jackson."

Nothing surrounded me except complete darkness. My name echoed against the walls of my head in a sickening way that made my stomach turn. I hoped to the gods I wasn't going to throw up again.

"Percy Jackson," the unknown voice repeated.

The voice sounded raspy and hollow as if an old man with a very bad cold and a thousand years of constant smoking was speaking through an empty tunnel. The way the mysterious being called out my name sent shivers down my spine. In desperation, I tried to move and realized I was floating in a way so familiar to my bones-as if I was underwater. Except I wasn't surrounded by water at all, at least not the calm, refreshing seawater I was used to. The liquid felt too thick and sickly as it clung onto me.

The voice let out a laugh that sounded almost like a cough. "My water won't respond to you, son of Poseidon. It is too bitter, too full of vengeance."

Suddenly, I realized I was sinking downward as some invisible force pulled me deeper into the abyss. I tried to free myself but ended up just flopping back and forth like a fish out of its fishbowl. With dread, it finally dawned on me that my demigod powers were utterly useless.

"I told you. You should stay still if you don't want to waste your breath."

As if on cue, I gasped for breath only to have icy water crashing into my lungs. The voice coughed out a laugh again.

"Who are you?" I cried but nothing escaped my mouth except for a few bubbles. I swung my arms wildly, trying to swim for the surface, but the gesture seemed to just accelerate my sinking.

"In a way, I am just like you. A hero, a descendant of the sea god, ruined by the curses of Eros." The stranger's every word seemed to send icicles piercing through my lungs.

_This is what it means to drown_, I thought.

"Oh, you're not _actually_ drowning," the voice answered my unspoken thought. "After all, this is just a dream. But fear not, you will taste the poison of my waters. Soon."

The fact that it was a dream did not stop my lungs from feeling like they were about to burst. I struggled to keep myself conscious. And if this _was_ a dream-one of my worst nightmares, no doubt-then I got a notion that the coughing stranger would not let me blackout until he was done with me anyway.

"You shall betray her. Without your fatal flaw... ah, well perhaps for you, it was a blessing."

_Her?_ My brain seemed to explode as well as my lungs. _Who was I going to betray? Annabeth? Thalia?_

The man croaked a laugh. "Still loyal to love? Do not worry, young hero... It will all end soon."

And with that, my lungs reached their limit. My body shuddered as if possessed and the dark, corrupted water engulfed me whole.

When I woke, I was still shaking so much that I fell out of my bed. My brain was fuzzy and I felt as if the dark water was still clinging onto me. Thankfully, my lungs were still intact but a strange pain shot through them with every intake of oxygen. I couldn't remember what had happened after Rachel recited the latest prophesy... Had I blacked out? Who had put me in bed?

Usually when I was shaken up by one of my nightmares-which was unfortunately way more often than I would've liked-I would take a stroll down to the beach with Annabeth where we would engage ourselves in conversation with her hand in mine. Her wise, caring words had always worked better than ambrosia and had acted as a healing source that eased all my pains and worries.

But now, I was different. I _felt _different, like a big bubble of void was slowly consuming my insides. Too much had happened all at once: I knew the ocean I had once loved would no longer be my safe harbor, at least for a while... the sense of drowning had robbed me of the sense of security water provided. And with a twinge of guilt, I knew I also lost the comfort that other people brought me; I no longer wanted to be around anyone, not even my family or my friends. Even Annabeth, the girl I had fallen so hard for not long ago.

_What was happening to me? _I wondered. And that was the lost thought that crossed my mind before I drifted back to sleep on the cold floor beside my bed, feeling as hollow as the voice in my dream.

* * *

**Guys, I'm back! It's been like... what years?! I'm so sorry I was away... School got in the way and you know... I feel so irresponsible! I promise to keep up with this series (and the twilight series soon) so I hope you guys can forgive me and keep reading and reviewing! :) As most of you guys noticed, my writing is really rusty but hopefully it'll come back to me lol. As always, feel free to point out mistakes or suggest a plot, etc. 'cause every review counts! And coming soon... What is going to happen to Percy? Is he going to be able to complete his quest and reunite with Annabeth (or someone else?)? Thanks guys~**


	6. Chapter 6

6: Grown cupid gives me a mutated arrow

I woke up to someone screaming.

For a terrible second, I thought the shrill sound had escaped from my own throat. Then I realized it had come from outside. Rubbing my eyes, I briefly slipped into a pair of faded jeans and threw on my orange camp shirt before running off to see what was going on.

As soon as I stepped out of my cabin, I was like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. The sky was an endless ocean of clear blue without a speck of white cloud. Being the son of Poseidon and all, I had always been apprehensive about the sky but after last night's pitch darkness, I couldn't help but fully appreciate the open air sweetly filling my lungs. For a moment, I forgot all about the reason why I had rushed out of my cabin in the first place and stood rooted to the ground, grinning like an idiot.

_You will taste the poison of my waters. Soon._

I shivered as I remembered the words of the coughing voice. What kind of water was so poisoned that a son of the sea god couldn't control it?

"Percy! Percy! You've _got_ to see this."

A pang of guilt hit me as I instantly recognized the voice. _Annabeth_.

I remembered how angry she was last night. After the traumatic dream, yesterday was a fuzzy mess but I could clearly recall her screaming at the goddess of love, the one who was supposedly responsible for this whole tangled chaos. Now, her face seemed to have forgotten last night's events and her eyes even seemed to sparkle with excitement. My constricted heart relaxed a little.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked, wondering what could be the source of her exhilaration. Then I remembered what had woken me up this morning. "Did someone scream?"

"_I _screamed, dummy," she said, a strange gleam of pride in her stormy eyes. Without answering my first question, she smiled a toothy grin and grabbed my wrist-not my hand, I took quick notice. Then she began to put on speed like a small child running to a candy shop. Wordlessly, I trailed behind her until we reached our destination.

We stood should-to-shoulder in front of the big house. I felt a tingle creeping down my arm.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Annabeth said impatiently. "Let's go meet him."

"Him?" My question hung in the air as she dragged me into the building.

The man that faced me in the big house was someone I had least expected. He was tall, lean with toned limbs, and had beautiful fair skin that seemed to radiate. On his head were lovely golden locks that grazed his shoulders. Everything about him seemed to sparkle as if he was made out of rare gems. And then there was his face-I just couldn't put his facial features into words. His clear blue eyes, his rosy cheeks, his pink lips... they were the mere definition of _beautiful_. Like if you looked up "beautiful" in the dictionary, then you would find the picture of the gorgeous man in front of me.

_Gorgeous man? _I couldn't believe what I was thinking. Feeling quite embarrassed, I shook my head to bring myself back to reality. "Eros?" I guessed.

The perfect creature in front of me smiled and some part of me felt like it was melting like ice cream under the sun. "Hello, Percy Jackson."

This had to be Eros. There was no other male god that could fill someone up with such a lovely sensation. But I had seen Eros before; in fact, I had seen him only last night, a small little cherub holding a bow and a quiver of arrows. So who was this grown man in front of me?

"I _am_ Eros," he said as if he read my mind. He showed me his bow and arrows slung on his muscular shoulders.

I blinked. "But you're so-"

"Grown up?" Eros finished my question with annoyance in his voice. He rolled his eyes. "Everyone only sees me as this little baby with wings flying around next to my mother. _Nobody_ remembers that I'm a big boy now."

"Big boy? But last night..."

"Please!" he yelled, flinging his arms in the air. "My mother doesn't want me in my grown form because she knows that _I'm_ more beautiful-" His sentence was cut short and he grimaced as if his mother had heard. "Oh, _fine_. It's 'cause I'm _so_ rebellious. Just because she didn't like that girl, Psyche..."

"Psyche?" I had to ask, utterly confused.

Annabeth stared blankly at the grown version of the god love. "Psyche was Eros's wife that Aphrodite really disliked. But... that's a Roman tale."

Eros rolled his eyes again. "Oh, _please_, I didn't marry Psyche. She was beautiful, yes, but not as beautiful as _I_. I just take a little interest in the girl, just playing around with her 'cause she was conceited enough to say love did not exist. Naturally, Mother gets all jealous and bullies her."

The way the god talked was so arrogant and haughty. Suddenly, I didn't care how beautiful he was, I just wanted him to go back to his baby form and shut up.

"So... What are you doing here?"

He stared at me. "Oh, yes. Right. I told this girl-" he pointed to Annabeth as if she was an insignificant bug "-to go fetch you."

"Why?" I asked, still confused.

The god glowered at me. "Are you a dimwit, Percy Jackson? Of course, to give you details about your quest."

I blinked. Somehow I found it surprising that a grownup version of Cupid was able to give me any useful advice.

"Anyway," he continued, flicking his glamorous locks back, "so you first must gather your crew and go find Nemesis."

"Nemesis?" It was Annabeth who spoke aloud. "The goddess of revenge? That Nemesis?"

Eros shot her a frustrated look. "Are you deaf, girl? Yes, I said Nemesis. She is the goddess of revenge, but also the goddess of balance and justice. She is quite a scary old woman but I understand she doesn't have much _love_ for this world. She doesn't like me either, says I am an assistant of Fortuna, but oh, _please_. Love does not always bring good fortune." He winked in Annabeth's direction.

I still didn't understand what Nemesis had to do with anything but I had a feeling that Eros wasn't keen on elaborating. Instead, I asked, "Where can I find her?"

He nodded at my hand and a strange looking arrow sharpened on both sides appeared. One tip seemed to be dipped in gold, the other made out of lead. "My gift shall guide you."

I looked at the weird-looking arrow. It looked like a mistake, a mutation. It definitely didn't look like it would prove useful to me in any way. Maybe I was supposed to stay someone?

However, Eros seemed very satisfied with himself and shook his shoulders, materializing a pair of pearl white wings. As the narcissistic god got ready to dissolve in front of our eyes, Annabeth took a breath and spoke up.

"Um, Lord Eros, what is going to happen to Percy?"

For the first time, the beautiful god looked closely at my ex-girlfriend. He smiled sadly, which was still undoubtedly dazzling. "Being shot too many times has turned the blessing of love into a curse. The ability to love is a gift and he will lose it if he doesn't succeed on his quest. Love is the foundation of not only romance but also friendship and loyalty. He won't be able to trust anyone but himself if he remains the way he is now."

Annabeth looked stunned but remained quiet. I didn't really understand how that would be possible... Would I truly be able to stop loving my family and friends because of a few stupid arrows?

But then again... I found myself gazing at Annabeth then shook my head.

"A week from yesterday. You have six days to complete your quest and make your final decision. If I were you, I'd quickly gather the lucky five and go find Nemesis _now_."

With that, Eros glowed a golden light, making me avert my eyes. In a split of a second, he was gone, leaving me only with a mutated arrow in my hand.

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**Hey guys! Hoped you guys liked this chapter! I feel like the story's finally shaping up... I got a crazy quest in mind (poor Percy lol)! Well, of course, feel free to point out mistakes, suggest plots, etc. 'cause reviews help sooo much! Coming up: Who will be the five on the quest? How (and why?) will Nemesis help Percy? Stay in tune! Love your faces~**


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